Magnus is an apprentice of the Congregation. While others stand in the front, Magnus and his order stand to the side. They talk, they watch, they listen, and they learn.

I’ve been sent to the edge of what the refugees are calling “The Darkness.”

After some investigation, I’ve learned that it’s not a supernatural threat — which is good — but it is very tangible and very real.

Their goal is a complete information blackout. After these pirates take over a system, all regular communication stops, and the irregular forms of communication diminish dramatically.

My own eyes and ears have been a huge disappointment. These contacts that my master and I have been working on for years hardly know more than the rumors peddled across the sector.

Then…

Jackpot.

Hush made contact.

How do I describe Hush She was my first…

My first Confidential Informant, that is.

Master said I was wasting my time with her. A low-level fence wasn’t going to have the contacts to be of any use to us.

I saw things differently.

In the world of information distribution, sometimes one needs an edge. And with that edge, they take over the secto.

I am Hush’s edge.

I give her intel. Nothing too dangerous or specific, but enough. Enough of an edge for her to be first when she wants to be.

Lucky for me, this edge I give her cuts both ways. Fences are paranoid, and for good reason. They play both sides, and if anyone were to ever find out where Hush was getting — and giving — her info, she’d be killed.

We both know I could have her killed.

I could never do that.

Does she knows that?.

So now, 40 standard hours after getting her message, I was just standing in the dark, in the pouring rain, minding my own business when…

Well.

The trees around me exploded.

KA - BOOM

Enter the Fray
Weak hit: 3 + 3 (wits) = 6 vs 6, 4.
I am in control.

The world blows up around me, but my feet are already moving…

Moving where?

I look around to see where I’m going as I draw my blade. We’ll talk about this blade later.

I said it was dark, right? We met in a small meadow, a clearing with trees and forest on all sides. There’s a big rocky hill to one side, and it’s raining hard — like the old _Jurassic Park movie hard. Even with the spotlights on both our ships, seeing beyond the lights is impossible.

I’m moving… I realize I’m moving toward Hush.

How heroic of me.

O: Was Hush frozen in fear? 
Ask the Oracle (Unlikely): 58, - No.

Hush, bless her heart, is already moving too, blaster drawn.

I dive and roll behind a tree, dodging and blocking blaster fire along the way.

“You’re good with that. Maybe everything I hear about your kind isn’t just rumors,” Hush says as I come back to my feet.

“Old boyfriends? You really had to bring them along?”

I grin back as I look over the situation. I call upon the ether to gather information and assess the situation.

Gather Information using DEVOTANT
Strong hit: 6 + 3 (wits) = 9 vs 3, 7.
+1 momentum DEVOTANT
+2 Gather Information.

Time seems to stop and my eyes open…

I look around the dark and the rain and see our opponents.

And an opportunity.

“Covering fire for 6 seconds, three meters left of that rock that looks like a banana… Now!”

Hush doesn’t question it — bless her heart again. She rolls over and starts putting direct covering fire right on and around the banana.

I move…

Toward the hole in their line.

These guys aren’t amateurs, but they aren’t professionals either. The dark and rain caused them to clump up and left a few more exposed than they knew.

Skirting the edges, I attack.

Gain Ground
Miss: 3 + 3 (wits) = 6 vs 9, 7.
Pay the Price - There are more of them… and I run right into them. Great.

Rushing around the corner, I find another squad who were trying to flank us. They must have seen me, because they opened up and drove me back under their onslaught.

“That was your plan?” Hush calls. “Got any others knocking around up there, or should I have a go?”

She pulls a grenade.

I should get me one of those.

React Under Fire
Miss: 3 + 2 (heart) = 5 vs 6, 9.
D100: 68 Pay the Price
“Your vehicle suffers damage” — that’s so perfect. -1 to my ship.

Hush stands up and throws the grenade.

Now, usually something random would happen that would cause the bad throw right? Like she gets hit and jerks or something?

But that’s not what happened… At least not what I saw.

That kind of looked like it was on purpose? Did she try to blown up my ship!?!?

Even in the thick of battle, I take a few seconds and reach out to read her intent…

EMPATH
Weak hit: 3 + 2 (heart) = 5 vs 4, 8.

I get a wave of emotions: surprise, satisfaction, laughter, resentment… that's no help! 

I nearly take a bolt in the heart for my troubles.

Ok, ok, back at it. We’ll deal with her later.

O: Did any of the 2nd squad follow and rush into melee?
Unlikely - Yes.

I grin.

Enough of this. Let’s play.

Clash
Weak hit: 2 + 2 (iron) = 4 vs 6, 2.
D100: 39 - Pay the Price - The environment introduces a new hazard.

I cut these pirates down without a problem, but the storm is picking up and the mud is getting deeper…? Are the legs of my ship sinking?

O: How long do we have before my ship sinks?

D10: 6 - Clock with 6 spaces on it. On a miss, the clock moves forward.

This is great; Just great.